Steve Namat - 2006 Border States Champ!

This past weekend, at the Cook Auditorium in Anaheim, former 2004 Hungarian champion Steve Namat took home the overall trophy at this year's 2006 Border States NPC Bodybuilding Classic.

Steve swept the Light Heavy class (with guys ranging from 176 to 198 pounds), the largest of the weight classes that evening. Just earlier in the year, Steve was all swole up to a massive 240 or so pounds, especially massive for only a 5'7" 23 year old.

Known in his native tongue as Németh István, Steve was crowned the Hungarian Champion at 21, weighing in at a svelt 180, but even then he showed great promise with his conditioning, cuts and symmetry.

The Border States Classic, another of top bodybuilding promotor Jon Lindsay's shows (his next being the NPC Exclaibur in Culver City this December), is a "National Qualifying Event," meaning that winners qualify for inclusion in the big amateur shows, the Nationals and the USAs, which may earn them their pro cards (a la Mike Ergas). Steve, or rather István, being a European is sadly ineligible for these shows. He is going to have to go back to Europe to earn his pro status. And it'll happen!

With this recent States-side win, reaction to Steve on the boards has varied from "future pro" to just "another midget on steroids." Along with fellow young foreigner James "Flex" Lewis (fondly known here as Sienna Buff), it is my belief that Steve is certainly going to be a future force to be reckoned with in the sport!

All Hallow's Eve vs. Guy Fawkes

Halloween may very well be my least favourite holiday, if you can even call it a holiday. Really it's nothing more than a "Hallmark Holiday" but without the cards. From crazy costumes to plastic grave stones, glow-in-dark skeletons and all that other crap we're encouraged to spend our hard earned cash on. Come on people candy corn is even nastier than those marshmallow Peeps things at Easter!

When I was a kid in England, Halloween always played second fiddle to Bonfire Night, alternatively known as Guy Fawkes Night. You may even have occasionally heard the rhyme:

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

It was our night for fireworks, sparklers and toffee apples!

No need to dress up, other than warmly. No need to recreate the Village People or those Desperate Housewives. No need to wear some skimpy costume that shows off your chiseled abs and bulging bis. And most notably, no monkey masks (the girls and I were the "See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil" chimps, or monkeys, or whatever they are, today at work).

Just standing there, enthralled as the Guy (dressed in your dad's old clothes) bursts into flames atop the bonfire. Sparklers in hand. Biting into sizzling hotdogs and gooey toffee apples. Watching those burning embers at the end of the evening and trying to find that last piece of wood to throw on the fire and make it last just that little bit longer.

Good, simple times!